Jumpsuiting To Conclusions
by kimcat
Summary: Jack and Maddie have finally managed to catch Phantom, and they can't help but take notice how similar his outfit is to their own.


**A/N: Another one from the Phic Phight prompts, originally posted on A03. Please R&R and hope you enjoy. **

**Original prompt: by Browa123** \- Fenton Hazmat Jumpsuits are one of a kind. Down to the stitching, which is hand crafted to be the ultimate ghost hunting outfit. So why does Phantom wear one? There was never one made in Black

**Character list**: Danny, Jack, Maddie, Jazz

**Categories**: Family bonding, slight fluffy feel-good stuff

**Warnings**: Mentions of drugs and blood.

**Total word count**: 5,908

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**Jumpsuiting to Conclusions**

They had finally done it.

After almost two full years of chasing the elusive Phantom, the most famous ghost, the 'ghost boy', whatever you wanted to call him... they had caught the pest. While the town _had_ become more and more favourable towards the spirt, as he seemed to be getting better at his heroics and began limiting his destruction to the town, the Fentons saw something different behind the smiles and so-called caped persona.

While a ghost, who's theme seemed undeniable to be a superhero at this point, he seemed unbeatable. No one could denounce the ghost's pure raw power. And that was just the problem.

Phantom had been faithfully fulfilling his obsession, thus gaining power rather unchecked, for almost the entire time he'd been active in Amity Park. While his superhero obsession had kept him from lashing out at people up until now, it was worrisome what the ghost would do if the others of his species stopped attacking.

The attacks themselves had been steadily declining ever since the so-called 'Ghost King' had tried to take over the town, with the more intelligent spectres seemingly deciding it was no longer worth it to bother with Phantom.

His power levels had yet to stop all of them from returning, but there has still been a noticeable decrease. Especially over the past month.

Maddie gave her husband, Jack, a loving smile as they heaved the bleary-eyed ghost, entangled in their net, into the back of the RV.

Phantom had been fighting the hunting ghost, and gotten shot with something that had a noticeable effect on his power levels. He'd still won, capturing the hunter, but their scanners showed his power had been effectively halved.

That's when the Fentons' recognized their golden opportunity, and struck. They had made a new item specifically for the monochromatic phantasm.

The Fenton Siphon Snare. An ecto green net that takes the constant spectral output a ghost gives off, sapping out their own power, and converting it into a drug that effectively alters their core's matrix input allowing a sense of euphoria, while immobilizing the spectre's motor functions.

Translation: Phantom was high as a kite on something akin to ghostly heroin.

The effect of the weapon would last until either the ghost's power was completely sapped dry, at which point, he would go into stasis, (the human equivalent of passing out) or they removed the snare, which would take about five minutes for his system to reset.

Jack shut the door to the RV as he hopped into the makeshift mobile lab, grinning ear to ear. Phantom was mumbling incoherently in English and hissing out the static of ghost speak intermittently, a loopy smile adorning his all to young face.

"He seems to be enjoying himself." Jack chuckled as he examined the ghost's neon green eyes.

Maddie nodded in response as she too began the preliminary examination of the ghost. Snatching up a flashlight, she shone it into his pupils watching in fascination as the light reflected back at her, much like a cats' would. "Pupils appear fully dilated and appear to be more dark green than black, and there's a green tint to the sclera." Maddie rattled off.

The Fentons had decided that so long as Phantom acts in Amity's favour, it was easier for everyone if they simply let him go about his heroism, not wanting to create a power syphon. Much like with human mob bosses, it was often better to go with what was already established, taking out the potential replacements before taking out the kingpin and working from there, than bringing in something new that could turn out to be much worse... But they needed a contingency plan. They needed something to stop this powerful spectre if nothing else could.

They had planned this 'catch and release' for a while and were all too happy to jump on the chance that they had been presented with, not sure when they would be able to get another. They wanted to have a few samples taken to find a way, if ever needed, to incapacitate Phantom.

Jack went into their weapons chest grabbing their ghost restraint cuffs and awaited his wife's instructions. The cuffs redirect a ghost's power out of its system into non-harmful functions, like their glow, making them unable to use any other powers. This effectively made them no more powerful than a glowing human.

Maddie nodded and Jack reached under the net to remove a slender arm, snapping the cuff on the ghost teen's wrist, and securing the other end to the table. With their prize now on lockdown, they began untangling the rest of the ghost from the net.

Maddie folded the net placing it to the side of the bench in case they needed it again, while Jack took to looking over the Phantom. "He looks young. Couldn't a been much older then Dan-o." The large man said as he examined the ghost's face.

He raised his large hand to grasp the ethereal teen's chin with surprising gentleness, as he tilted the young face to and fro. "He's even got little green freckles," Maddie observed. This was the first time they were able to get a good look at the ghost kid close up like this for more than a few seconds. He was usually pretty flighty.

The mother wiped a thumb across the emerald tinted cheekbones confirming the little speckles were embedded in his skin. "It's kinda funny how subtle the ectoplasm under his skin is huh?" Jack asked, gently pulling on one of the boy's earlobes. "From far away it almost looks like he's got a normal human skin tone, just with a tan." He blinked up at his wife.

"He really is an abnormality among all the others we've observed..."

"Look at this Mads!" Jack suddenly boomed. "He's got hyper-realistic hair!" The man's large gloved hand had become buried in the snowy white locks and he tousled them like he would their own son.

The ghost seemed to be starting to recover from the drug-like effects of the net, as he responded to the touch, leaning into it like a pet would when you scratch them behind the ears. "gitssss a fiirrrt...Dadssss..." The ghost boy mumbled a dopey smile adorning his face.

"Huh, wonder if he actually remembers his parents?" Jack asked messing up the teen's hair further. Phantom, in response, slowly blinked his luminescent eyes giving a happy sigh before smacking his lips.

The clicking sound continued a moment before becoming silenced with another groan from the teen. "Gahts allzzz-zpinszzteeee..."

Maddie raised a brow and shone the light in his eye again. This time he slowly blinked them closed as the pupils contracted slightly. He was starting to regain some awareness. The teal clad woman watched as the ghost's mouth opened as if in a yawn, showing off his white, almost too sharp teeth. A set of fangs seemed to be poking through his gums, overtaking his more human-looking eye teeth. The one on the left side appeared to even be loose.

"Do ghosts have an equivalent to baby teeth?" She asked.

Despite herself, she grabbed a pair of clamps from the side tray and attached them to the more human-looking loosened tooth. Jack seeing what his wife was doing held the ghost's head and jaw steady, keeping his mouth agape. Maddie wriggled the tooth free easier then she would have thought and placed the clamps and tooth back on the tray, to inspect in depth later.

"Owwwwwwzzz." The ghost teen groaned, his tongue coming forward to lap at the small droplets of ectoplasm that had begun to pool on his lip. "Zzzzsnnnnot cooolllll. zzzzzttt huuuurrrsstt..." He drawled.

He could still feel pain? Made even more impressive knowing he was still in his drugged state. but the pure fact he reacted...

The hunters watched in fascination as the fang, as if sensing it now had a proper place, moved to fill the spot where the more human tooth once was. It was as if it was being pushed outward and into place by a guidewire.

The teen lifted his hand to rub at his face, where the fang now barely poked out pressing over his lower lip. His tongue could be seen poking out as if inspecting the new changes within his mouth. "Ohhhhhh nooooo..." He moaned out blearily still sounding off. Maddie was reminded of when her daughter had to get her wisdom teeth removed, which was ironic considering what they just did to the ghost.

Suddenly Jack gasped and grasped the ghost's hand, stopping him from further probing his new fang. "Mads..." He said breathlessly, tearing his eyes away from the blinding white glove, to stare into his wife's eyes. "Look..." He held the hand up for her to inspect.

Phantom made a noise of protest and weakly tried to pull away. When that failed he attempted to move the hand that was tied to the table, eliciting a clang as the cuff reached its end and a frustrated groan from the dead teen.

Maddie stared at the gloved hand, for a moment wondering exactly what it was her husband had seen. She turned the wrist to the side, and then she saw it. Right on the seam where the glove attached to the rest of the suit was a tiny emblazoned F embroidered into the rubbery material in the same blinding white as the gloves.

"But... that should be impossible!" She breathed.

"He stole weapons before why not one of our jumpsuits?" Jack scowled.

"He had always appeared in this though, the only changes we've noted has been the logo here, but it looks pretty seamless. If Phantom stuck that on himself there would be an edge." Maddie replied with a frown as she ran a hand over the ghost's aforementioned logo.

"You're right Mads..." Said Jack, anger fading to confusion. "Come to think of it, I don't think we ever made a jumpsuit in black..."

"No, I don't believe we did." The auburn headed woman frowned. She began poking about the collar of the ghost's suit, finding a snap exactly where she'd thought it would be.

With furrowed brow, she pulled the fabric across the back of the collar releasing the hidden hood tucked up beneath exactly like her and her husband's own. The Fentons share a frazzled look before feeling about under the collar further in an attempt to locate a zipper.

"This seems far too detailed to be a construct, but the fabric itself emits a glow..." Maddie mumbles as she pulls the zipper down.

"Huh, that's different," Jack says looking at the exposed ghost. Or rather he would be if he wasn't wearing a black tee with a neon blue NASA logo on the front.

"What do you think it means?"

"Beats me, but the shirts like the jumpsuit look." The large man pulls the shirt upwards showing the detail in the fibres. "You can clearly see the crosshatching in the fabric."

"Amazing!" Maddie breathed fully extracting the ghost's free arm from the jumpsuit.

Phantom pulled his hand free from the woman's grasp as soon as able and stared at his tinted palm like it was the first time he'd ever seen it.

"Woooooaa" He slurred. He flipped his hand to examine the backside showing the parents exactly what the ghost had seen.

From the centre of his palm was a dark, ecto-green circle, it looked almost like it was branded into his skin like a token. Branching outward from the circle and flaring all up his arm in a lighter shade of green were tiny lightning bolt-shaped scares.

"Hazznt seeevvv deez eennna wa hile..." He pushed put slowly blinking one eye then the other.

"Do... do you think they're death marks?" Jack asked softly taking the teens small hand in his own giant ones.

"Deadth murks?" Phantom asked snapping in and out of focus.

"He was electrocuted?" Maddie gasped at the thought. That poor boy.

"Yeeeaash... Ssssa vats ifs I waaaz?" He asked drunkenly.

The mother frowned and instead pushed back the white locks of hair from the teen's eyes, hiding the mess beneath her glove. He really looked so young and disregarding the stark white hair and the glow, he looked entirely to human. "Damn it." She cursed under her breath.

"I don't think I can do anything too harsh either Hun," Jack spoke up as if reading her thoughts.

"Doo wha?" Phantom asked clicking his tongue fot the 't' almost as an afterthought.

The blue-clad woman smiled sadly at the ghostly teen on the table. He seemed all too content to have his hair fussed with, as she found herself running her hands in the same manners as she would with her own children.

He leaned into her touch a dopey smile in place. "Mmm'ok Ma..." He seemed to sigh.

The mother's frown deepened at the new thoughts that were entering in her head. Where exactly were Phantoms parents? Were they still alive? Did they know what became of their boy?

Jack had grabbed a needle to draw blood, or in this case ectoplasm. Just because it was too hard to get past the too human look didn't mean they couldn't do ANY research.

As the syringe was filled with a glowing green goo, Maddie's eyes caught sight of something from under the ghost as he tried to pull away from the needle. The bunched-up hazmat was grasped in shaking hands as the redhead's eyes traced over the thing that made her stomach sink.

There, on the inside of the collar, in a fancy looking needlepoint stitch, sat innocently, mockingly, was one sole word.

'Danny'

Jack had thankfully finished the blood draw and placed the capped syringe down before he too felt his knees go weak at the sight of the stitching. It WAS his needlepoint after all...

"Why?" He swallowed harshly, "Why, is that there?"

"We only ever made one custom suit for Danny," Maddie said softly running her gloved hand over the stitching. "The one that went missing shortly after the portal started working..."

The parents exchanged a look of fear before staring intently down at the confused ghost. "Whazza looks fer?" The ethereal teen slurred. "Emmm m'ok guyssss. Jus' a 'lil tirre... Honnnsss -ttt˜"

"Remember when Dann-o told us he got the portal working?" Jack said softly eyes not leaving the ghost. Maddie nodded, her own lavender gaze briefly flicking to her spouse. "He said he got a shock, and he's been contaminated with ectoplasm ever since. What if- What if Phantom is Danny's ghost?" His voice sounded broken.

Maddie felt her heart stutter at the thought. It made sense, almost too much. How many times has the ghost kid almost called them Mom and Dad? They already knew he had their Danny's face, and on occasion, even some of his mannerisms.

"Would it be possible that the ectoplasm from the portal starting up could have imprinted on Danny?" Maddie all but whispered, horrified.

Jack nodded solemnly "In theory..." His voice hitched and he once again began tousling the boy's hair, a nervous tick, a reaction, needing to have something to do with his hands. "Then that means he'd think like Dann-o too, at least partially..."

"Would Danny's memories... Would he remember things like-?" Maddie couldn't even bring herself to finish her thought letting her dread hang in the air like a foul smell.

A low groan from the slab drew their attention down to the table, as now focused green eyes blinked up at them. "Hey, um... Jeez who died?" The ghost chuckled nervously before frowning. He seemed to figure out what his situation was, as his jumpsuit was pulled back, and his arm cuffed to the table's side.

"Oh um... I should mention my insides are not pretty." He squeaked out. "Also I don't like blood, any blood really, mostly my own blood. I'll vomit, and you do NOT want ghost puke everywhere. It's like... Projectile! Ever seen that horror movie? Like that but glowing and- um... Why are you petting me?"

Phantom blinked up at Jack confused, as the man continued to push back the white locks with his oversized hand. Frowning, the ghost slowly sat up the cuff pulling taught as he moved as much as he was allowed. Jack's hand followed the boy's head and Phantom shot the large man a confused, but hopeful look.

Jack looked almost pleadingly at his wife.

If they were right and Phantom was essentially Danny, Jack would most likely try and do anything in his power to make up for everything they'd ever done to him. Everything they wanted to do...

And the hope-filled doe eyes that were looking to the father right now was making both parents sick to their stomachs.

"We're going to ask some questions, and we need some answers, Phantom." Maddie choked out sternly, doing her best to take charge, knowing full well her husband was the more emotional of the two of them.

Phantom's head snapped to face her, hope bleeding into nervousness. "Um... Yea answers! I can do that no problem! Sure thing! Questions are a good alternative to whatever you were planning on doing with that tray of sharp, pointy- is that my tooth?" Phantom grimaced as his tongue once again began poking around his gob.

He seemed to pale as he licked at his protruding fang. "Where did you get this," Maddie said firmly holding up the empty arm of the jumpsuit to Phantom's nose, cutting off whatever crisis he was having.

"Oh um... I... Kinda ya know..." He flinched as Maddie threw the empty arm down harshly against the teen's leg. "I die- formed wearing it" He squeaked out flinching down from Jack's tensing hand, which dropped lifelessly to his side as Phantom ducked away.

Wild nervous green eyes flickered between the parents, his glow suddenly brightening before he let out a nervous laugh. "You can't phase outta here," Jack said matter of factly.

"Yep. Noted. Thanks." Phantom pushed out awkwardly. "You got more questions? I'll answer more! I mean I'm happy to do this over... Ya know..."

"Pulling you apart molecule by molecule?" Jack's normally boisterous voice was unusually soft.

"Yea that! If we could avoid that, that'd be super awesome! Fantastic actually-"

"What's your connection to our son, Danny?" Maddie pushed, cutting the spectre's jittery rambling off.

"Oh? Um, good kid! Great guy! Saved him from a few attacks at the school and-"

"What's your real connection?" The woman pressed holding up the hazmat displaying the needlepoint baring their son's name. "He even has a shirt just like the one your wearing, and you're almost an exact photo negative copy of him."

"Oh... Er, THAT connection... Heh..." The ghost rubbed the back of his neck nervously, not wanting to meet either of his elder's eyes. Jack placed his large hands on the ghost's shoulders forcing his hand downward, before gently grasping the teen's jaw, forcing them to lock eyes. "I..."

"Tell me, when you were five, we went swimming out on the lake for some father and son bonding, and a bit of seaweed wrapped around your leg. You started crying once you were out of the water. Do you remember what I said to you?" Jack asked emotionless, though his wife could sense the tears building behind his eyes.

Phantom seemed to brighten at the question and gained an almost nostalgic look as he smiled, hope abundantly written through his expression. "You told me that we're Fentons, and if some creature messes with one of us, it messes with us all... And no matter what, if any real lake monsters were out there, you wouldn't let them hurt me." Phantom took a slow breath as if to calm frazzled nerves.

"And then we went out for milkshakes to cheer me up because I was upset that I'd cried, even though Mad-" He smiled lovingly, sending a glance to the aforementioned woman. "-Mom said not to give me any sugar that late, and you made me promise it would be our secret. I was excited because you let me get anything I wanted on the menu with whatever extras I wanted." The ghost sniffled, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand.

Jack nodded encouragingly his own eyes starting to water as Phantom continued. "When we were drinking the shakes... You said it's okay to cry sometimes. 'Cuz cryin' don't make ya w-weak, it makes you hu-human... And ya said that girls prefer sensitive men anyway." Phantom chuckled lowly, sniffing again and rubbing at his eyes in a vain attempt to stop his slightly glowing tears from falling. "And it is still one of my favourite trips..."

"Yea, you're spot on." Jack nodded giving the teen a watery smile as his own tears pooled in the corners of his eyes.

"D-Do you still think that?" Phantom sniffed, his voice cracking. He stole a few wayward glances to Maddie as he wiped at glowing tear streaks. "That crying keeps me human?" The pure pleading, hopeful emotions packed into that question broke Maddie's heart. She found her own eyes getting hot despite her best efforts.

"Yea. Yea, I do" Jack said firmly. No sooner were the words out of his mouth the ghost launched himself forward, his free arm locked around the large man's neck, as he started bawling into his chest.

The orange-clad man in turn, wrapped his own massive arms around the ghost, cradling his head to him and rubbing circles along his spine. His own silent tears falling into Phantom's hair. A soft click pierced the room as Maddie unlocked the ghost's wrist from the table, leaving the cuff dangling from the teen's wrist.

Feeling the lack of tension Phantom's hand was quick to grab a fistful of orange as he clung to his father. "I'm so sorry." The teen mumbled, shaking his head back and forth as he repeated the words over and over.

"You got nothin' to apologize for," Jack said squeezing the teen tightly.

"If anything, it's us that owe you the apology." Maddie chimed in placing her hand on the boy's shoulder.

"But If I told you from the beginning, you wouldn't have to!" He wailed.

"I doubt we would have believed you, honestly..." Jack humorlessly laughed. "But now that we know, and have proof you're essentially our Dann-o's ghost... Well..."

"I'm my own ghost? That's one way to look at it I guess..." The white-haired teen sniffed harshly.

Maddie watched as the boy turned to look at her his face flushed green, but a smile of pure bliss adorned it. It was fascinating to think that the ghost that they thought was stalking their family, was essentially part of it himself.

"Sweetie, I'm so sorry... If we'd realized sooner..." Maddie started but trailed off as Phantom shook his head.

"No. I shouldn't have tried to keep it from you. You guys just did what you thought was right to protect the town... Though I-I gotta admit... Of all the ways I imagined you finding out, this is... This is better then I'd thought it would be..." He swallowed harshly before wiping his nose on his armless jumpsuit sleeve. It was only a second after that that the teen began laughing joyously, as relief filled him.

"And you guys are really okay I'm like this? You're not gunna try and fix me or anything right?" He asked, a bright, yet hesitating smile shone as blindingly as his aura.

"As long as you stay on the right side of the law, and don't hurt anyone." Jack grinned. "in fact, we'll go ghost hunting together! I'll even be YOUR sidekick!" Jack's booming voice came back full force, his tear-stained cheeks glistening in the overhead lights.

"But if you start going evil on us, we'll put you down," Maddie said sternly. She swiped her fingers across her own eyes clearing up the small pools that had gathered within them.

Phantom flinched at the tone but his smile didn't falter. If anything he almost seemed relieved at that declaration. "I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Maddie found herself grinning at the teen. It was a strange development to be sure. "And just so we're clear... You're welcome to stay at our home, if you want to that is." The woman gave the ghost a motherly smile as she ran her thumb along his tear-stained cheeks.

Phantom laughed again. "I figured as much but it's nice to hear. Oh! I gotta tell Jazz that you guys know now! She's been on my case for a while now to tell you, but now that you figured it out on your own, she can drop it!" He beamed, his grin matching Jack's.

"Jazz knew?" The man asked pulling back from the embrace to look at the ethereal teen.

"Yea, for a while apparently."

"I suppose that makes sense why she was pushing so hard in your favour..." Maddie sighed shaking her head, though a pleased smirk adorned her lips. "Here, hold still..."

Phantom watched, with bright, glassy green eyes, that were still wet from his earlier tears, as his mother grabbed his hand releasing the cuff from the ghost, enabling him to be free once again. Unsurprisingly Phantom simply grinned, popping his arm back into the jumpsuit before doing up the zipper, hiding the tee beneath once more.

"Ya know, I never realized I had clothes under this..." He shook his head, smile sparkling with mirth. "Guess it makes sense though... I did put the jumpsuit over my clothes... Before…" He muttered to himself, though both parents caught his words.

No one said anything on the subject, however.

"Do- Do you want a ride back?" Jack asked.

"Naw, I'll fly. I gotta finish my patrol anyway, plus I wanna tell Sam and Tuck the news that you know now! And you accept me and I'm not being dissected or sold to the GIW!" Both parents blanched at the thought of turning the boy to the failure of a government agency.

"Man this is so awesome! You guys have no idea how much of a relief this is now that you know! Oh! Dad, Mom!-" He seemed positively giddy at calling them that "-I should take you guys flying sometime! You have GOT to see the stars once you're far up enough from the city lights!" He rambled excitedly.

Danny always did want to be an astronaut.

"That would be awesome lil' buddy!" Jack boomed.

Phantom simply grinned back up at the large man before launching at him again, sweeping Maddie up into the tight group hug as he nuzzled his head into their collected shoulders. "I love you guys so much! I promise I'll keep protecting Amity Park for you, for as long as I can!" He excitedly chattered.

The Fenton parents hugged him back, both tucking the piece of knowledge away. Were they the core reason he formed a ghost? And then they, in turn, attack him? That train of thought threatened to fall emotionally from their eyes again, though both managed to hold firm.

The teen released the elder Fentons before taking to the air, his glow as bright as ever, "I'll see you guys at home later!" He called happily, before phasing through the ceiling of the RV.

The adults shared a glance before they went to the window to watch as the elusive Phantom flew off. His delighted laughter could be heard echoing in the distance as he did quick flips and loops in the air, looking like he was on some kind of trackless rollercoaster. His joyful exuberance could be seen and heard for a solid five minutes, as the radiant ghost shrunk more and more into the horizon.

"He seems happy!" Jack boomed once the laughter could no longer be heard.

His wife gave him a flat look, before shaking her head. "Sam and Tucker knew too it seems..."

"Mmhm"

"Suppose it makes sense they were there when Danny got the shock from the portal..."

"Wonder if that means he formed instantaneously?" Jack wondered.

"We'll have to ask. Maybe even tonight... That will be weird getting used too..."

Jack just grinned as he slipped into the driver's seat of the RV to begin their trek home. "We can still run some tests on the ectoplasm sample we got too!"

"Yes, we will. After dinner though Hun."

Later that evening, Maddie was finishing up her cooking when she heard the front door open and close. A few seconds later her son practically bounced into the room, bounding over to his mother by the stove and wrapping her in a tight hug, and even planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Well now, you're in a good mood!" The teal clad woman beamed, placing her stirring spoon on the counter and turning to hug her son back.

"Course I am!" The black-haired teen smiled brightly back. "I have the best parents in the world!"

"Is this about the Phantom thing?" She asked a knowing smirk on her lips, as her son flushed up to his ears. The mother was heavily reminded of Phantom's green-tinted face after bawling into Jack's chest earlier that afternoon.

"Yea!" He nodded eagerly. "You still have no idea how good this feels! Sam and Tucker were excited too, by the way, I still haven't told Jazz yet. I can't wait to rub this in her face." He donned an almost evil looking smile at that.

"Tell me what?" Jazz frowned as she entered the kitchen. She took one look at her brother and raised a brow at how he was practically vibrating where he stood.

"They found out about Phantom and are cool with it!" Danny's exuberance could not be contained.

"Oh?!" Jazz expelled happily, wrapping the smaller up in her arms. "I'm proud of you little brother! You'll tell me the details later then?" Jazz asked, taking a glance back at her Mother and the finished dinner with a wide grin.

"Pfft, 'course!"

"Hey there Danny boy!" Jack greeted as he to entered the room. Danny launched himself at his father as well, clinging to the man's waist tightly. "Now _that's_ a Fenton greeting!" He cheered hugging his son back.

The family made their way to their seats around the table. For the first time in a long time, there was nothing but smiles as Maddie dished out the spaghetti.

That was until something caught her eye. Placing the large pot on the table she furrowed her brow and took gentle hold of her boy's chin as she examined him closely. "Danny! You have a fang?" She asked fearfully.

"Huh?" He pulled back from his mother's grasp to poke at the tooth hanging over his lip. "Oh, yea! You pulled out that tooth earlier right? It must have carried over." the raven-haired boy shrugged nonchalantly, before taking a big bite of his dinner.

The older Fenton woman exchanged a nervous look with her husband, who had also begun frowning. "D-Does stuff that happens to Phantom always carry over?" He asked voice strangely sombre.

"Huh? Well sometimes I mean the larger stuff that happens does like I've got a handful of scars from wounds that were really deep and stuff, and ...What?" Danny blinked confused as his parents looked moments away from tears again.

"Did we ever... Are any-" Maddie couldn't even think straight. She knew they were connected, but she didn't realize how closely intertwined they truly were.

"What? Oh! No never! Your guns only ever left slight burns that cleared up in an hour or so thanks to ghostly healing." Danny said quickly hoping to ease his parent's worries.

Jazz raised a brow seemingly catching something that Danny wasn't. "What do YOU guys think is the connection between him and Phantom?" She asked, watching as her parents seemed to flounder.

"Phantom is Danny's ghost?" Jack offered, though it sounded more like a question than a statement.

"What are you talking about Jazz? They know I'm Phantom now..." Maddie sputtered at that, while Jack simply looked dumbfounded. "Oh wait..." His father's words seemed to register something within him. "You guys understand we're literally the same person... right? Like no overshadowing? I'm literally my own ghost?" Danny offered weakly.

When he received no response in either the affirmative or the negative he simply stood up from his chair before thrusting his fists skyward allowing blue-white rings of light to encompass his waist. As they passed quickly over him they exchanged bits of Danny Fenton, for the elusive ghost, before only Phantom stood before the family in all his ghostly glory.

"Ta-da!" He said awkwardly, even adding jazz hands for effect.

Jazz snorted and began eating her dinner, ignoring his display. "You forgot the pirouette." She said dryly before taking a bite of her pasta.

"Not helping." Danny sighed before transforming back to human and regaining his seat. "I think I broke 'em"

"I- I don't understand… How…" Maddie stuttered.

"I'm a Halfa, Half of. Half'a ghost half'a human…" Danny shrugged.

"Neat!" Jack was seemingly the first to recover. "You really are like a superhero! Got yourself a snazzy secret identity and everything!" Jack beamed before downing his pasta in what appeared to be one solid gulp. "I'll be in the lab if you need me! Maybe you can show me come of your cool superpowers later Danno!" And with that, the large man disappeared into the basement.

"He's going to busy himself in his work so he won't have to process this right now." Jazz said simply in between bites of her meal.

"I'm just... Going to get a drink…" Maddie sighed turning to the cupboard and pulling out a bottle of wine.

Jazz shot her brother a condescending look, before eyeing her mother suspiciously. "You all jumped to conclusions on what the other side had meant and look where it got you both." She said in her psychoanalytic tone.

"You guys still accept me though right?" Danny asked nervously.

Maddie nodded absently with a thousand-metre stare as she uncorked the wine bottle. "We still love you, sweetie… We just need a bit to...Wrap our head around…. Everything…" she said blankly. The mother picked up her bowl and joined her husband down in the basement.

"Well I'm still happy they know, but seriously I told you to be straight with them! This is exactly what I was afraid of would happen if you didn't... I told you a half-ghost isn't the first conclusion they'd draw!" The redhead said pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Yea well…Know it all." He sighed.

After he ate, Danny worked up the nerve to go and face his parents once again.

They all talked, laying out their anxieties out, with Jazz almost too eagerly playing the part of mediator. They talked well into the night, and many tears were shed. Danny was happy to share some of his adventures, as well as some knowledge about the Ghost Zone.

It was about ten o'clock when the family had returned to their bright content smiles, from the start of dinner. They were even feeling closer as a family unit than ever before.

Although it was when Jack suggested that all of them go out to grab some milkshakes, with a knowing glint in his eye, that Danny could no longer contain his tears of joy.

* * *

~ Complete ~

** A/N: The ending on this seems a little rushed to me, if I didn't pump the brakes it would have gone on far too long and become tedious I believe. Either way thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed**


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